Sapphire:Sessions:20150131

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As Trace studies the runes, the wand begins to glow with mage light. He recognizes some of the runes as being of the same school as the ones that are tattooed on his body. Other runes are Venettian, Old Dwarven, and Elven.

The group rides into Old Town. Rory's map is mostly correct; there have been some changes since. The area near the gate is less inhabited. Trace takes a reading and determines the building where the portal is located; it's a three-story building, the third floor of which has collapsed and fallen in upon the second. Trace can tell how deep the portal is below the building, and that it's not embedded in solid rock. There are thirty or forty people around the building, but ten 'loungers' have moved out of sight. The thief that Molly had sent to follow the group waves and departs rather than follow the group into the area. Those following us from Asseraah are not wearing priestly robes.

Trace pushes open the warped door. Rory lights a lantern. Tracks in the dust indicate that five or six transients camped inside the building within the past day or so. In the pantry, Rory finds a narrow stairway and leads the way down. The steps are carved from stone. 40' down is a landing, a rotted wood doorframe to the left, a closed door to the right. Chalker peers through the closed door; it leads to a storage room, and Chalker sees nothing moving except a rat. Trace's reading indicates that the group should proceed to the left. He clears some objects out of the way, realizing that they had been placed there to cover up the fact that someone had been there recently.

The corridor slopes downward. There are torch brackets mounted on the walls. Trace takes another reading; the portal is now behind and below the group, so he backtracks. Chalker finds a hidden doorway and slides it open. Trace says that someone has been through the doorway within the past few days. The corridor beyond curves slightly, then turns into a steep 45-degree ramp wide enough for three people to walk abreast. It ends in a large foyer with several exits. At this point, Chalker no longer hears anyone following the group. Trace indicates a closed door and says that the gate is beyond it. The lock on the door looks fairly new. Without opening the door Chalker looks through it; on a pole hangs a skeleton, its arms held out to its sides with wires. Behind the skeleton is a dark curtain. Chalker remarks, "Someone was expecting somebody like you, Trace."

If the door were swung inward it would contact the pole and trigger some kind of spell, so Chalker uses his power over metal to pull the pins out of the hinges, and Trace slides the door to one side. The curtain, which hangs by metal rings from a rod, has a Watchdog spell on it. Trace holds up a sprig of the magic-eating plant and casts Grow; the vine grows up the pole and over the curtain rod, cancelling a powerful spell and its trigger. Giving thanks to Agar, Trace uses his staff to push the curtain aside.

Beyond is a very large room resembling a lecture hall. It extends 80 feet in front of the group and 40 feet on either side. The Venettian gate stands in the room, with stones wedged around its base to keep it upright. A pentagram is drawn on the floor, each corner marked by a stone obelisk. The runes of the pentagram seem to writhe and creep, making Chalker's skin crawl and his stomach churn. The floor is stained with blood. In one corner of the room are a half-dozen bunks, two of which are occupied. Other objects in the room include a weapons rack, some cabinets, and a steamer trunk with a glowing padlock. This pentagram was active within the past two days, with blood sacrifice and demonic presence (though there is no demonic presence at the moment). The people sleeping on the bunks are mages who have been touched by demons. Trace senses lines of force leading through the gate.